Method and apparatus to procure and grow medicinal plants

Abstract

An apparatus and method to procure medicinal plants for a patient with a valid medical prescription for a medicinal plant and meet current or proposed regulatory requirements. A self-contained medicinal plant grow environment allows an individual with a valid prescription to grow the medicinal plants to maturity at a selected location. A procurement method uses a broker to transfer a quantity of medicinal plants from a first patient to a second patient. A tracking certificate provides a document of the origin of a medicinal plant grown according to the apparatus and method of the invention. The invention provides for security and accountability for medicinal plants subject to government regulation and controls and can be adapted to situations relating to regulated possession quantity of medicinal plants and to government levied fees and taxes.

Description

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS [0001] This application claims priority from U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 540,729 filed on Jan. 30, 2004, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 568,061 filed on May 3, 2004, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety, and U.S. provisional application Ser. No. 60 / 623,402 filed on Oct. 28, 2004, incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT [0002] Not Applicable INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC [0003] Not Applicable NOTICE OF MATERIAL SUBJECT TO COPYRIGHT PROTECTION [0004] A portion of the material in this patent document is subject to copyright protection under the copyright laws of the United States and of other countries. The owner of the copyright rights has no objection to the facsimile reproduction by anyone of the patent document or the patent disclosure, as it appears ...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0017] This invention is a business method and apparatus that provide a viable means to procure and possess medicinal plants to fill a valid medical prescription and meet current or proposed regulatory requirements. The invention also provides a self-contained medicinal plant grow environment that allows an individual to grow the plants to maturity at a selected location. The invention provides for security and accountability for medicinal plant life subject to government regulation and controls and the invention can be adapted to situations relating to regulated possession quantity of medicinal plants.

Problems solved by technology

For many years, the cultivation, preparation, and use of certain medicinal plants was limited, if not prohibited completely, by leaders, religion or government.

In some situations, complex legal regulations make it difficult for authorized patients to procure medicinal plants.

There are no government approved or regulated production and distribution systems for some medicinal plants.

This is very difficult for some individuals, especially those with a debilitating condition for which the medicinal plant is prescribed.

However, the California Legislature has not clearly defined neither a comprehensive production plan nor a comprehensive distribution plan.

In other jurisdictions, medicinal plants cannot be diverted, transferred or sold directly between qualified patients or sold by a qualified patient to another for a profit.

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